Manchester United have angrily denied claims from Real Madrid presidential candidate Juan Miguel Villar Mir that they have given him permission to talk to Cristiano Ronaldo.

The United winger was today quoted in a Spanish newspaper as saying he would relish a move to the nine-times European champions if Villa Mir wins Sunday's presidential elections at the Bernabéu. Villar Mir said today: "Manchester United know that we are talking with him. We have gone in 'through the front door'."

However, a statement issued by United denied Villa Mir's claims. "There has been no contact between Manchester United and his election team or Real Madrid, and any suggestion there has been is incorrect," the statement read.

"Unfortunately these tactics seem to be a common occurrence in elections of this nature. Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a long-term contract with Manchester United which runs until 2010. He will be a Manchester United player next season."

According to Spanish daily sports newspaper Marca, Ronaldo welcomed an approach by representatives of Villar Mir aimed at persuading him to join the Spanish giants.

The 21-year-old is reported as saying: "I have told my agent that I would like to leave. I want to do so in the best way possible. I want to play for Madrid and I dream about it."

Currently recovering from a thigh injury sustained in Portugal's brutal encounter with Holland on Sunday night, Ronaldo says he has been impressed by Villar Mir, a 74-year-old lawyer, former Spanish finance minister and Madrid's vice-president in the 1990s - and his running mate, rally driver Carlos Sainz.

"They have explained their sports project and the next step is for them to talk to Manchester United to negotiate and when they reach an agreement, then we will look at my situation and my contract," added the 21-year-old, who is still hoping to be fit to face England on Saturday. Marca reports that Villar Mir has promised Ronaldo a four-year contract and an annual salary of £2.75m.

But unsurprisingly, there has been talk of skullduggery in the run-up to Sunday's poll of Real Madrid's 65,000 members, with Ronaldo declaring that he has also been the subject of illegal approaches from several other Real Madrid presidential hopefuls. "[They] wanted me to sign a document and this would be against my club, Manchester United," he explained. "This isn't legal and I would never do it. Both Villar Mir and Carlos Sainz have promised that they would talk to the club."

Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, taking over the No7 shirt vacated by David Beckham when he left for the Bernabéu. Madrid's election will select a replacement for Fernando Martin, who was forced to resign in April, two months after being selected by his predecessor, Florentino Pérez. Should Villar Mir win, he has also promised to install Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger in the dual roles of head coach and director of football.

Another candidate, Arturo Baldasano, claims he has been in contact with Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fábregas over a possible move to Madrid. He had previously claimed he was also hoping to sign Fábregas's Arsenal and Spain team-mate Jose Antonio Reyes, as well as Real Betis winger Joaquín and Lyon midfielder Mahamadou Diarra.

"We've been in contact with Cesc and his agent has revealed to us that he wants to come to Madrid," explained Baldasano. "There is nothing better to continue our project to nationalise Real Madrid than by bringing in Cesc, Joaquín and Reyes, with the addition of [Mahamadou] Diarra, who is an extraordinary player."